Margaret Holmes

1944 - 2019

January 21, 1944 - April 2, 2019 Margaret Holmes, beloved wife of Patrick Timothy Meyers and devoted mother of their cherished son, Timothy Holmes Meyers, passed away at home in Manhattan Beach, California, on April 2, 2019. Margaret was born on January 21, 1944 in the Queens borough of New York City, to Conrad Holmes and Margaret (Kremer) Holmes, who raised Margaret and her older sister, Dorothy, in a neighborhood known as College Point. In June, 1961, Margaret graduated from Jamaica Vocational High School for Girls as the valedictorian of her class. Margaret thereafter attended the business school at City College of New York for a year before leaving school for employment with various law firms over the next few years. In 1969, Margaret eventually moved into Manhattan and worked in that city, where she developed considerable experience and proficiency as a legal secretary. In 1971, Margaret, then 27 years old, decided to obtain employment as a legal secretary in California. Accompanied by her cat, "Goofy," Margaret set off cross-country in her Sunbeam Alpine sports car, along with two friends in one other car, and they reached San Francisco in a week or so. Eventually heading down the coast to the Los Angeles area, Margaret settled in the City of Santa Monica in September, 1971, and worked largely for nearby law firms for a number of years. Margaret met her future husband, Pat, at the beach in Cardiff, California, on a July 4th weekend in 1981, and they fell in love. After a courtship, including their travels to New York to visit Margaret's parents, family and friends; to Mexico and later to Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England, for enjoyable vacations; and to many interesting places in California and other states, Margaret and Pat were married in 1987, and their happy union grew into more than 31 years of marriage. Their son Tim was born the following year and brought great joy, rich experiences, enormous pride, and the sense of fulfillment to all their lives together. Margaret has been a wonderful, caring and dedicated mother to Tim, who has valued her judgment, advice, and guidance throughout his life. Margaret helped Tim to learn to read and write and to become a discerning reader and a very fine writer. Margaret raised an upstanding, compassionate, and sensitive young man with great integrity and strength of character, who has made wonderful friends throughout this country, as well as in visiting and traveling abroad.Margaret loved everything that many people have come to love about Manhattan Beach – the Ocean, the Beach, the Sky, the Weather, the Pier, the Strand, and the Good Friends and Neighbors whose company she has enjoyed and shared with them. For as well as she could and for as long as she could, Margaret loved playing tennis with her friends and/or watching great tennis being played by others. Occasionally accompanied by Tim, Margaret had often volunteered at the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden with other friends for several years. She enjoyed attending the summer concerts at Polliwog Park and joined various friends there for many years. In recent years, Margaret regularly volunteered to work during election days at the polls and was pleased to participate in the election processes. Margaret had earlier regularly volunteered as a classroom helper in kindergarten, elementary, and middle school classrooms. A few years ago, with a designer's assistance, Margaret essentially took responsibility for planning and implementing a major remodeling of the living room, kitchen, and dining room of the family home to lovely effect. On many occasions, Margaret and her neighbor Amy enjoyed taking evening hikes in Palos Verdes organized by Sierra Club members. Margaret walked in the Hometown Fair 10K Run/Walk on October 6, 2018 and earned another commemorative T-shirt as a finisher. Flying out a few nights later en route to Quebec City, Pat, Margaret and Tim enjoyed their first visit to that venerable, scenic city, before leaving by train for Montreal, which was also notable for its waterfront and other urban features. Soon, they happily celebrated Christmas together at home again in Manhattan Beach. Her husband Pat, son Tim and many family members and friends love and will miss Margaret always and greatly.Beleaguered by metastatic breast cancer, Margaret's magnificent heart stopped beating on the morning of April 2, 2019. Predeceased by her parents, sister Dorothy and niece Jennifer Heathwood, Margaret is survived by her husband, Pat; her son Tim; and by her nephew, Matthew Heathwood, and his wife, Heather, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. A memorial service in honor and memory of Margaret Holmes is scheduled for April 30, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Lighthouse Memorials & Receptions, White & Day Center, located at 901 Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach, California 90277.